Young Reds beaten in NYL Grand Final

Adelaide United’s Youth Team has fallen 5-2 to Sydney FC’s youth squad in the Foxtel National Youth League Grand Final.

Despite a spirited performance from the Young Reds, they were unable to overcome the Sky Blues, who ran away with the win at Central Coast Stadium.

At the start of the match, it was all the Reds, Michael Valkanis’ boys settling the faster of the two sides and moving the ball well from the back.

Dylan Smith, who scored seven goals in eight domestic league matches, was in lively form from the outset, testing Anthony Bouzanis with a couple of stinging efforts, but to prevail.

But against the run of play, in the opening stages in particular, Alex Mullen capitalised on a chance for the Sky Blues, finishing past Daniel Margush at his near post following a cut-back from Nicola Kuleski.

The one-goal advantage energised Sydney, who made it 2-0 twelve minutes later when Daniel Araujo created space on the right flank and fed Christopher Zuvela, who made no mistake with his finish.

The Young Reds managed to pull one back when RILEY MCGREE curled in a corner that rebounded off Jacob Tratt and tumbled into his own net.

Yet the Sky Blues managed to convert through Max Burgess, when the winger cut in from the right onto his favoured left foot and slotted home a low drive.

Mullen doubled his tally four minutes after the break with a clinical header, before Gonzales scored Sydney’s fifth from a corner.

Samed Altundag got Adelaide’s second when his left-footed strike rifled into the roof of the net following a neat run on the left wing, but it proved a consolation for the Young Reds, who were unable to overturn the deficit.